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Jerry Falade’s debut novel sparked a 14-publisher bidding war before the deal fell apart.
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His literary agency withdrew the manuscript after raising concerns about AI use.
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Falade insists AI was used only for research, not writing or editing.
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The case reflects a growing challenge facing publishers in the age of generative AI.
August 06, (THEWILL) — A few years ago, landing a multimillion-dollar publishing deal depended largely on one thing. Could an author write a story readers couldn’t put down?
Today, another question is finding its way into publishing contracts and editorial meetings. How much of that story came from a human, and how much came from artificial intelligence?
For Nigerian author Jerry Falade, that question has turned what looked like the breakthrough of a lifetime into one of publishing’s most talked-about controversies.
Falade has lost a publishing deal reportedly worth more than $2 million after concerns emerged over the possible use of AI during the development of his debut crime novel, Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body.
No publisher has accused him of using AI to write the book. Still, doubts over how the manuscript evolved proved enough for his literary agency to withdraw it from publication.
Only weeks earlier, the novel appeared destined for a remarkable debut.
Interest from publishers quickly snowballed into a bidding contest involving 14 publishing houses. Macmillan U.S.’s Minotaur Books eventually secured a two-book deal reportedly worth more than $2 million, while Harper Collins acquired the United Kingdom rights.
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For a first-time novelist, it was the kind of success many writers spend an entire career chasing.
Everything changed after concerns were raised during the publishing process.
According to Europa Content, Falade’s literary agency, an editor questioned whether artificial intelligence may have played a role in the manuscript’s development.
Marc Gerald, who handled the U.S. auction on behalf of the agency, said Europa initially accepted Falade’s explanation without relying on AI detection software.
Later, however, the agency said it could no longer confidently verify how the manuscript progressed from its early drafts to the final version.
That uncertainty prompted Europa Content to withdraw the book and end its relationship with the author on July 29.
Falade has firmly rejected suggestions that artificial intelligence wrote his novel.
He said AI was used only as a research assistant while he worked on the story.
The author said he relied on an open-source AI model running locally on his own device to research technical details, including chemicals that could dissolve a human body for scenes in the crime novel, as well as American English vocabulary.
He said choosing software that stores information on his computer rather than online helped protect the privacy of his research.
“I only used AI for research, and not for writing the book itself”, Falade stated.
He has also questioned the way AI concerns were handled during the acquisition process, saying nobody asked for his permission before analysing the manuscript.
Calling the situation “very suspicious”, Falade disclosed that he has hired legal counsel to challenge the events that led to the collapse of the deal.
READ ALSO: US Partners Nigeria On Application Of Artificial Intelligence In Military Operations
Beyond defending his writing, the author believes race has shaped the conversation around his case.
Writing on Instagram, Falade argued that Black authors often face greater scrutiny after securing major publishing deals.
“If you’re a Person of Color and you secure a lucrative deal in history, someone, somewhere, will accuse you of using AI”, he wrote.
He also pointed to Black American writers Mia Ballard and HM Wolfe, who reportedly lost publishing agreements earlier this year following similar AI-related concerns, arguing that the pattern deserves closer attention.
Macmillan confirmed that it participated in the auction for Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body but said Falade’s literary agent later withdrew the manuscript. HarperCollins has not publicly commented on the status of its agreement.
Across the publishing industry, Falade’s experience highlights a problem that many editors, agents and authors are only beginning to confront.
Artificial intelligence has become a common tool for research, brainstorming, grammar checks and translation. But there is still no universally accepted line separating legitimate assistance from authorship. Publishers are increasingly developing AI policies, but standards vary widely from one company to another, leaving many decisions to individual editors and literary agents.
Industry bodies have repeatedly stressed that transparency will become increasingly important as AI tools become more sophisticated.
The Association of American Publishers has said the industry must protect human creativity while ensuring readers and publishers can trust the origin of creative works.
At the same time, the Authors Guild has urged writers to disclose AI use where required and has called for clear, consistent standards rather than assumptions.
Falade says the setback has not shaken his confidence.
He revealed that he is already working on another novel and believes it will attract even greater interest when it reaches publishers.
“Trust me, when this book is finally released, the bidding war we saw on Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body will be child’s play compared to this”, he said.
His case may ultimately be remembered for more than the collapse of a lucrative publishing contract. It captures a moment when one of the world’s oldest creative industries is trying to adapt to one of its newest technologies.
In that environment, proving a story is original may no longer be enough. Writers may also find themselves having to prove how they wrote it.
